BeansTalk News: Daily news on fashion, beauty, film, television, books -- all media -- and anything else of relevant interest. (View the current month in its news entirety by clicking the date under Archives.)

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

It's That Thing You Think With

THE BRAIN

Throughout history, humans have created machines of amazing complexity, such as computers that can calculate in 100th of a second and technology that can carry us outside the bounds of this planet. However, scientists are only now beginning to understand the most complex machine in the known universe -- the brain.

THE BRAIN goes on a voyage of discovery into the evolutionary history of our last biological frontier. From early civilizations' attempts at neurosurgery to today's robotic laser surgery, revolutionary new techniques are finally unlocking the story of the brain. As a result, we've learned more in the last five years than in the past 100.

Using simple analogies, real examples, and state of the art CGI, this documentary explains how the brain grows, shows why it's so delicate and so resilient, and unravels the mystery of consciousness. See life through the eyes of living case studies, from newborns to college football stars. Travel inside the minds of people in extreme situations: How does a soldier make decisions under fire? What makes us good or evil? And why do autistic people like the "Rain Man" display such breathtaking skills?